Suspected cat hoarders plead no contest

Haven Acres owners given probation, must pay fines

In this image form a June 7, 2011 video, cats sit in a cage at Haven Acres Cat Sanctuary, at 21023 NW 168th Lane near High Springs. Steve and Pennie Lefkowitz have pleaded no contest to 47 animal cruelty charges. (Video screen capture/Footage courtesy of The Humane Society of the United States)

Published: Thursday, March 29, 2012 at 2:01 p.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, March 29, 2012 at 2:01 p.m.

The owners of the Haven Acres Cat Sanctuary, from which 697 cats were seized in a case of hoarding last year, pleaded no contest Thursday to 47 counts of animal cruelty and were sentenced to 15 years of probation along with fines and a prohibition on owning or rescuing any cats.

State Attorney’s Office spokesman Spencer Mann said Steve Lefkowitz, 65, and his wife, Pennie, 60, also must pay $626,770 to the Humane Society of the United States as restitution for expenses and abide by other sanctions.

“They must enter mandatory mental health treatment for hoarding,” Mann said. “They must submit to inspections by the county to ensure there are no cats.”

Efforts Thursday to reach the Lefkowitzes and their attorney for comment were unsuccessful.

With nearly 700 cats, Haven Acres was the largest case of cat hoarding worked by the Humane Society of the United States — the primary agency involved in handling the animals, an organization spokeswoman said at the time of the seizures.

The Lefkowitzes had operated the sanctuary for years on unincorporated Alachua County property at 21023 NW 168th Lane surrounded by the city of High Springs.

Neighbors and the High Springs City Commission opposed the sanctuary, saying it created nuisances such as odors and noise. They also said it potentially could pollute groundwater.

Others spoke in favor of the sanctuary, saying it was ensuring the lives of unwanted cats.

County commissioners gave the Lefkowitzes a special permit to operate, which drew a legal challenge from the city of High Springs.

The permit required the Lefkowitzes to gradually reduce the number of cats to 144. But when the sanctuary was raided in June, authorities collected 697 cats — more than when the permit was given.

Some had to be euthanized because of their poor condition, but most were nursed back to health and adopted to new owners. Several hundred that were not spayed or neutered were operated on at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine before adoption events.

Mann said the Lefkowitzes will be able to keep other animals they have, including a horse.

But they will not be able to possess, rescue or care for any cat, and cannot reopen Haven Acres or participate with any animal rescue organization. In addition to the restitution to the Humane Society, which could be converted to a lien on their property, the Lefkowitzes must pay court costs.

<p>The owners of the Haven Acres Cat Sanctuary, from which 697 cats were seized in a case of hoarding last year, pleaded no contest Thursday to 47 counts of animal cruelty and were sentenced to 15 years of probation along with fines and a prohibition on owning or rescuing any cats.</p><p>State Attorney's Office spokesman Spencer Mann said Steve Lefkowitz, 65, and his wife, Pennie, 60, also must pay $626,770 to the Humane Society of the United States as restitution for expenses and abide by other sanctions.</p><p>“They must enter mandatory mental health treatment for hoarding,” Mann said. “They must submit to inspections by the county to ensure there are no cats.”</p><p>Efforts Thursday to reach the Lefkowitzes and their attorney for comment were unsuccessful.</p><p>With nearly 700 cats, Haven Acres was the largest case of cat hoarding worked by the Humane Society of the United States — the primary agency involved in handling the animals, an organization spokeswoman said at the time of the seizures.</p><p>The Lefkowitzes had operated the sanctuary for years on unincorporated Alachua County property at 21023 NW 168th Lane surrounded by the city of High Springs.</p><p>Neighbors and the High Springs City Commission opposed the sanctuary, saying it created nuisances such as odors and noise. They also said it potentially could pollute groundwater.</p><p>Others spoke in favor of the sanctuary, saying it was ensuring the lives of unwanted cats.</p><p>County commissioners gave the Lefkowitzes a special permit to operate, which drew a legal challenge from the city of High Springs.</p><p>The permit required the Lefkowitzes to gradually reduce the number of cats to 144. But when the sanctuary was raided in June, authorities collected 697 cats — more than when the permit was given.</p><p>Some had to be euthanized because of their poor condition, but most were nursed back to health and adopted to new owners. Several hundred that were not spayed or neutered were operated on at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine before adoption events.</p><p>Mann said the Lefkowitzes will be able to keep other animals they have, including a horse.</p><p>But they will not be able to possess, rescue or care for any cat, and cannot reopen Haven Acres or participate with any animal rescue organization. In addition to the restitution to the Humane Society, which could be converted to a lien on their property, the Lefkowitzes must pay court costs.</p>